DATA-BACKED GUIDE · UPDATED JULY 2026
How much does full-time nursery cost in the UK?
A full-time nursery place is usually the biggest childcare bill a family faces, and for many households it lands somewhere near the mortgage or rent. What you actually pay depends on your child's age, where you live, and how many of the funded hours you can use. This guide covers what other parents report paying and the ways to bring the monthly figure down.
The quick version
- Full-time usually means five days a week, and it is priced per month rather than per hour.
- Under-threes cost the most, so a baby room place sits at the top of the price list before children move up to older rooms.
- The 15 and 30 funded hours only stretch across term time, so a full-time place still leaves a large top-up to pay across the year.
- Extras like meals, nappies and formula are often billed on top of the headline fee.
- London and the South East run well above the rest of the country for the same hours.
What people actually paid
The gap: advertised vs actually paid (medians)
People reported paying about the same as the advertised list price for nursery (full-time).
List prices are advertised prices; paid figures are what people reported, often for different cases and from a small sample so far. Treat the gap as a signal, not a quote.
Why the price varies so much
Nursery fees swing a lot because of age, hours and postcode. Younger children need higher staff ratios, so a baby room costs more than a place for a three or four year old. Where you live matters just as much, with London and the South East charging far above quieter parts of the country. On top of that, how a nursery treats funded hours, whether it charges for meals and nappies, and how it prices any hours beyond the funded ones can move the final bill up or down by a wide margin.
How to pay less
- Claim every funded hour you qualify for, including the newer support that now reaches under-threes for eligible working parents.
- Open a Tax-Free Childcare account so the government tops up what you pay towards approved nursery fees.
- Check whether the Universal Credit childcare element applies, as it can refund a large share of costs for lower-income working families.
- Ask how funded hours are spread, since stretching them across the whole year lowers the monthly top-up compared with term-time only.
- Compare a childminder for the youngest years, as they often work out cheaper than a nursery baby room.
- Ask about sibling discounts and whether meals and nappies can be provided from home.
Common questions
Do the funded hours cover a full-time place?
No. The 15 and 30 hour schemes are built around part-time use and term time, so a full-time place across the whole year still leaves a top-up to pay. Many nurseries stretch the funded hours over more weeks to soften the monthly figure.
Is a childminder cheaper than full-time nursery?
Often yes for the youngest children, because childminders usually charge per hour and can undercut a nursery baby room. As children get older the gap narrows, and some families prefer the group setting a nursery gives.
When can my child start using funded hours?
It depends on the scheme and your working status. Funded support has been widening to reach under-threes for eligible working parents, so it is worth checking the current start points for your child's age rather than assuming it begins at three.
What extras should I budget for on top of the fee?
Meals, snacks, nappies, formula and sometimes trips or sun cream can all sit outside the headline price. Ask for a full list before you compare two nurseries, since one cheaper looking fee can carry more extras.